By: Britta Clark, member of the Craftsbury GRP Run Team

On December 4th, I travelled to Millinocket, Maine to run the Millinocket Marathon. The race is unique for a number of reasons. It’s in northern Maine in December, a notoriously cold and gloomy month. It looks out upon the magical Mount Katahdin and combines a very hilly mix of dirt and paved roads. Perhaps the most unique feature of the race, though, is that there is no entry fee. Gary Allen, the race’s founder and organizer, created the event as a way of bringing activity and economic benefit to Millinocket, a struggling former mill town. The motto of the event is “Don’t run Millinocket for what you get, run Millinocket for what you give.” Racers are asked to donate to area organizations, eat at local restaurants and buy their Christmas presents from area businesses. The Maine Sports Commission estimates that the event generates an economic impact upwards of $250,000 for the region during the race weekend.

Though the goal of the race is to support the town, I walked away feeling like the town was supporting me. Every racer, volunteer, and spectator was full of warmth and energy and excited about the day! The craft fair was full of amazing local products, and the aid stations along the course were more like something you’d see at a 100 mile race: maple syrup shots and cookies! I spend a lot of time running and sometimes it can feel like a selfish sport. But Millinocket was a reminder that, when done right, running can be a powerful tool to bring people together, support people and communities in need, and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. 

This was also the first running race I’ve done in such cold temperatures, and I certainly learned a few things. First, everyone is different when it comes to the cold. The race started at 15 degrees, and at the last minute I changed from tights to shorts. I was really questioning this decision especially since I only saw a few other brave souls with bare legs. But I know that I hate the feeling of sweaty legs more than anything, so I went for it. One spectator told me that my legs were the same color as my (red) shirt, but I think it was the right call! I warmed up throughout the first lap of the two lap course, and by the second lap the sun was out and I was sweating. Second, cold makes eating and drinking more difficult! The shot blocks that I brought with me were frozen solid, and it was hard to open my GU’s with chilly fingers. Next time, I’ll pre-open my gels and avoid things that freeze easily. Finally, throughout the race I think I figured out a bit about running on poor footing: there were times where the course was icy or slushy, and I realized that I needed to back off in those sections--trying to push hard on bad footing was tiring me out. I tried to save my energy for the road sections that were clear from ice. 

I was able to keep a pretty steady pace throughout the race, and ended with a PR. Though I rarely run road marathons, I was psyched to get faster on a hilly icy course!  This was in no small part due to the amazing aid stations, the fellow racer that gave me a GU in the last 5 miles, and the general camaraderie on course. Put Millinocket on your list!

Results here